Editorials Opinion and Analysis
War of the Cult Groups
By Godfrey Azubike
August 17, 2008
Two main cult groups in the Niger Delta engage each other in a shoot-out over the formula for sharing money realised from hostage taking
Militants recently re-enacted the ugly incidence of wanton killing and destruction of properties in Port-Harcourt and its environs. The scenario was reminiscent of what took place in the state almost one year ago, which led to the deployment of the Joint Military Task force, JTF, in the state, and subsequent declaration of curfew in the state capital and its environs. More than 30 persons were said to have died in various locations in the current crisis.
Though no curfew has been imposed in the state capital, security has been beefed up by men of the JTF to ward off further insurgence by the militants. The atmosphere is tense and soldiers are subjecting the residents of the flashpoints to scrutiny. The renewed insurgence is a fall-out of the clash between two cult groups led by Farah Dagogo and Soboma George. Both of them have been on the wanted list of security operatives in the state.
The two kingpins are from Kalabari ethnic group, with Farah coming from Bakana and Soboma from Buguma. But Soboma fled to Abonnema town for refuge when he was chased out of his ancestral home by security operatives who had declared him wanted for his role in last year’s mayhem in the state. Farah leads the Niger Delta Strike Force, NDSF, while Soboma heads The Outlaws.
Newswatch gathered that the militants had agreed that bunkering was a free for all business, but that certain percentage of ransom taken from any hostage would be shared among the gangs. The source said that Soboma violated the agreement on a few occasions. He was also alleged to have betrayed the confidence reposed in him by Farah because his gang pocketed the ransom from hostages.
The two groups first clashed at midnight on July 29, at Abonnema in Akuku Toru Local Government Area of the state. There was prolonged battle on the high sea. Farah was said to have pitched tent with one Egbere Papa group, and they chased the Soboma group to Abonnema in an attempt to capture one Hassan of the Soboma group ‘dead or alive’ for intercepting and seizing imported arms belonging to Farah.
The rampaging militants from the NDSF were said to have succeeded in killing the said Hassan of The Outlaws group, but failed to bring back his corpse to Farah, their boss. Angered by the fact that the boys did not complete the assignment, Farah ordered them to return to Abonnema to bring Hassan’s corpse to him. The boys complied and eventually retrieved Hassan’s corpse from a mortuary in Abonnema, and brought it.
Farah was said to have unleashed the attack as a way of venting his anger on Abonnema community for accomodating Soboma into the community. Sources said the community resisted all entreaties from Farah for them to send out Soboma, because the elders insisted that since Soboma ran to the community for safety it was wrong to reject him and send him out from the area, more so, when he is from Kalabari ethnic group.
Another source said the remote cause of the clash was the N350 million allegedly received as ransom from some foreign nationals kidnapped by the militants. According to the source, Soboma’s men who were more in number and the architect of the hostage taking felt that they should take the lion’s share of N230 million, while Farah’s group takes N120 million. Farah felt cheated by the sharing formula and took the war to Soboma’s Abonnema territory.
In the ensuing battle of the two camps, many people lost their lives and property worth millions of Naira were destroyed. Sagir Musa, a Lt Col, and spokesman of the JTF in Port Harcourt confirmed that one soldier and two militants were also killed in the gun battle.
Consequently, the Abonnema people, especially women and children have deserted the community and have taken refuge in neighbouring communities, including Degema, headquarters of Degema Local Government Area, while so many others ran to Port-Harcourt. The Abonnema council of chiefs has called on the state government to intervene in the situation. Olu Fubara, the spokesman of the council of chiefs urged the state government to intervene before the situation further escalates.
The militants later shifted base and continued fighting along the coast. Consequently, on Friday, August 1, the battle spilled into Port-Harcourt, and the theatre of war was Dockyard area of the metropolis. That night, residents of the area knew no peace following sporadic shooting from the two gangs. One pregnant woman, was killed in the crossfire.
The latest clash of the militant gangs in Port Harcourt was preceded by the invasion of Harry community, the home town of late Marshal Harry, former chieftain of All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, in the state.
Sagir, the JTF spokesman said his men mobilised to the scene of the clash at the Dockyard where they engaged the militants in a shoot out and eventually overpowered them and forced them to retreat to the creeks. He said there was no casualty on the side of the JTF, but that a corpse was found floating near the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA Dockyard, after the clash between the soldiers and the militants.
Some 16 people who sustained injuries from the recent clashes were taken to Teme Clinic in Mile 1 area of Diobu, Port-Harcourt. The clinic houses an International Non-Governmental Organisation that provides free treatment to accident victims. Newswatch learnt that one of the victims died while others were still receiving treatment.
Since then, residents of the flash points in the metropolis have continued to relocate to areas they consider safe. Areas being deserted are Borokiri near the old Port-Harcourt Township, Bundu waterside and Abonnema Wharf areas.
In neighbouring Bayelsa State, there has also been battle of supremacy between another group of militants and men of the JTF, in Agge community in Ekeremor LGA of the state. This was because men of the JTF invaded the community in search of militants’ hideouts. The search is coming on the heels of attack August 2, on a JTF base located in Bomadi in Delta State, in which some militants carted away arms and ammunition belonging to the soldiers.
Consequently, the JTF invaded Agge and destroyed several houses and property. The destruction is said to be of the same magnitude as the mayhem at Odi by soldiers a few years ago.
Newswatch gathered that more than forty militants are warming up for fresh battle against the soldiers for allegedly causing pains to the people. But tension is still mounting on the riverine community as most of the inhabitants have deserted the area for fear of being caught in the crossfire. One person was said to have died in the incident.
A number of arrests were made by the soldiers though the exact number was not confirmed. Lt.Col. Chris Musa, commander of JTF, Bayelsa State, said the soldiers recovered one double-barrelled gun and three boats during their house-to-house search at Agge. He challenged the community to produce the militants and the ammunition taken away from the JTF in Bomadi.
